Folding door hinge



April 13, 1965 E. JOHNSON, JR

FOLDING DOOR HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1962 INVENTOR. LEONARD E. JOHNSON JR A TTOR/VE April 13, 1965 L. E. JOHNSON, JR

FOLDING DOOR HINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 20, 1962 INVENTOR LEONARD E. JOHNSONJR.

' movements thereof.

United States Patent 3,177,519 FOLDING DOOR HINGE Leonard E. Johnson, Jr., 2100 Sterling Ave., P.0. Box 114, Elkhart, Ind. Filed Nov. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 238,845 1 4 Claims. (Cl. 16137) The present invention relates generally to folding door hinges and more particularly to an improved hinge pin construction and aligning means for such hinges.

During the initial opening or final closing of a folding door having a pair of hinged panels, the overall width of the door is greater than the width of the door in the closed position with the panels co-planar. It has been the prior practice to leave a space. between the folding door and its adjacent door or door jamb of sufiicient size to accommodate for the entire increase of width of the door occuring during the initial opening or final closing This space or crack is, of course, unsightly and various attempts have been made to locate all of the space between the door jamb and the panel hinged thereto so that the space may be hidden by extra trim. The use of extra trim is, however, undesirable in that it makes the installation of the doors more difiicult and expensive.

The hinge of the present invention pivotally joins the two-door panels in a manner to provide sufficient relative translatory movement of the two-door panels so that when the doors, are opened or closed the panels may move with respect to each other and thereby eliminate or minimize an increase in overall width of the door. With the hinge of the present invention folding doors may be installed without providing unsightly spaces or extra trim.

In actual use folding doors are sometimes flung open with sufiicient force to over-fold the door panels, i.e. to open the doors beyond the designed point, thereby putting a shock load on the hinges which tends to loosen or disalign the hinges causing hinge bind or sticking. The hinge of the present invention utilizes a spring loaded shiftable hinge pin which in addition to compensating for the increase in width of the door, as noted above, also acts as a shock absorber to minimize damage in the event the doors are over-folded.

In installations where the door panels are warped or thereis a misalignment of the overhead track with respect to thedoor, the hinges of the present invention provide an additional advantage in that the hinge pin of one of a pair of hinges joining adjacent door panels may move relative to the other, thereby permitting one of the door panels to rotate slightly in the vertical-plane and thus minimize or eliminate binding of the over-head roller in the track.

'It is an object of the present invention to provide a folding door hingehaving a shiftable axis of rotation to hingedly join a pair of door panels in a manner to permit relative translatory movement when the door meets a mating door or jamb.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved bearing means for a folding door hinge having a shiftable axis of rotation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a folding door hinge having a yieldahle hinge pin to absorb the shock in the event the door is over-folded.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pair of hinges for joining adjacent folding door panels having individually shiftable hinge pins to permit rotation of a door panel in a vertical plane to minimize binding or sticking.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide aligning means for folding door hinges which may be 3,177,519 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 simply installed with assurance that the axis of the hinge pins of a pair of hinges will be aligned.

It is another object of the invention to provide a folding door hinge having a shiftable axis of rotation, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to properly install without jigs or fixtures.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended drawing in which:

FIGURE'I is a front view of a closed folding door having hinges embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a hinge shown in FIG- URE l;

2 FIgURE 3 is a top view of a hinge shown in FIGURE FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the doors shown in FIG- URE 1 in a partially open position.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, numeral 10 designates a folding door having first and second panels 12 and 14 joined by a pair of hinges 16. The first panel 12 is pivotally supported adjacent to jamb 18 by means of pivots 20 and 21. The unhinged edge 22 of panel 14 is adapted to meet or engage jamb 24.

The pair of hinges 16 are identical in construction and as best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 comprise a first plate 26 and a second plate 28 adapted to be respectively and oppositely secured to the rear sides of panels 12 and 14. Plate 26, as best seen in FIGURE 3, is provided with a pair of turned over locating members 30 to engage an edge of a panel and thereby properly locate the hinge and provide a proper spacing between panels 12 and 14. Plate 28 is formed with spaced rearwardly extending flanges 32 which are rolled over at their ends to form a hinge pin receiving cylinder or portion 34. I The cylinders or portions 34 of hinges 16 are coaxial and are located a predetermined distance from plate 28. This predetermined distance is a function of the thickness of the panels 12 and 14. A hinge pin 36 is secured at its ends in the cylinders or portions 34. The locating members 34 assure that the axes'of pins 36 of hinges 16 are aligned so as to minimize or prevent hinge bind.

Plate 26 is provided with a flange 38 rolled over at its end to form a sleeve member 40 defining a transversely elongated axial bore or opening 42. Plate 26 is also provided with a turned-up spring abutment 44. Abutment 44 consists of a circular portion 46 which is connected to the plate 26 by a narrow stem 48. j

A bifurcated member 50 preferably molded from nylon is provided with arms 52 and 54 which respectively slidingly engage the opposite ends 56 and 58 of sleeve member 40. The arms 52 and 54 are respectively formed with coaxial holes or bores 60 and 62 to receive hinge pin 36. The bifurcated member 50 is also provided with a cylindrical stem 64 to reciprocably receive the circular portion 46 of spring abutment 44. An axial slot 66 is formed in stem 64 to receive the stem 48 of spring abutment 44. A spring 68 is disposed in cylindrical stem 64 to \act against one end 70 thereof and spring abutment 44 to urge the bifurcated member 50 in a direction to position hinge pin 36 in one of its extreme positions in the bore 42 of sleeve member 4t).

When the panels 12 and 14 are in their co-planar, closed position, the position of parts is as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 wherein the hinge pin 36 is located at the extreme left-hand edge of the transversely elongated bore 42. As the folding door is opened and the panels 12 and 14 are at an angle to each other, the hinge pin 36 moves toward the right hand edge of the elongated bore 42 moving with it the bifurcated member 50 which in moving 3 causes the spring 68 to be compressed. The 'movement of hinge pin 36 or theshifting of the axisof rotation from the left side of elongated bore 42 to the right side in-f creases with the amount of rotation in 'a manner to permit rearward edge or corner 72 of panel 14- to remain in contact with the turned over locating. members on panel nection with the door opening movement; but itwill be t obviousthat in a door closing movementwhen the-edge v '22 engages jamb 24 the hinge pin 36 will shift in bore 42' to permit the panels 12 and 14'to assume a fully closed coplanar position. Withthe 'hinge of the presentjinvention are separated'only thedistance of the relatively thin locating members 30and'the spaces between the otheri edges of the door, and the jambs'may be the same asgis conventionallyprovided with one piece swinging doors.

' tion, the panels 12 .and' 14' when in the fully closed 'po si-r There are no unsightly cracks a'nd nol needfor extra trim.

The bifurcated bearing member 50pr.ovides smooth rotation andtranslati'on, eliminating or substantially mini:

m izing, hinge bindQ Although only one embodiment of my invention has i been described inidetail', it will readily apparent to those invention. 1 i Q 7 I claim as my invention:

. 1. A hinge for air of. folding jdoor panelsfl com- I p'risi'ng: a

first and second platesladapted 'rto be respectively and oppositely secured to the rear sidesof first and second adjacent door panels,

skilled in the artthat varioustchanges and modifications; may bemade without departing5from the spirit of theigfif I a I i a a 7, 1 spaced flange' means extending a predetermined pera apair of'lo cating' members. formed on said first plate;

-andadapted to engage an" edge of said first panel; a pair of'spaced flanges extending rearwardly from an 40 its extreme positionsin saidbore as said base plate,

edge ofsaid second plate a predetermined'distance and having coaxial hinge "pinreceiving portions 7 formed at. the ends thereof,

, a hinge pin securedat. its ends in-said portions and;

1 spanningthe-space between said flanges, 7 I

"a sleeve member mounted ion-saidfirst plateat a distance;therefromsubstantially equaLto said me t .t determinedidistance. andiadaptedito be disposed :bea first-plate, H i an abutment formed on saidfirstplate, J a bifurcated member having arms adapted'to slidingly,

' engagethe opposite endsof said sleeve'member, a '1 1 means definingaxially aligned holes in -said arms receivingl said hinge pin,

' an axially slotted cylin'drical'stem formed on? said:

bifurcated member; for; reciprocably receiving said;

abutment, and 1' a spring in'sai'd stem acting between; one 'end thereof and said abutment to urge-said bifurcated member] in a direction to position'said hinge. pin in. one ofits;

' extreme positions in said elongated opening; 1 7 '2.Afolding doorhingecomprising;

firstrand second plates,. I, v 7 a Q a hinge pin, I

- "jspaced'means formed onsaid'second plate for securing the ends of, said pin apredeterminedperpendicular distance from said second plate, sleeve means having a transversely elongated axial bore for receiving said pin andbeing mounted on said first plate with the major transverse dimension of 7 said" bore spaced; frorn and parallel to said first plate; I r

bifurcated meanshaving armsrotatably secured to said' pin on oppositesides ofisaid sleeve means,

' cylinder means extending from said bifurcated means and. formed. with an axial slot, i V abutment means disposed in said cylinder means,

a stem'disposedin. saidslot and connecting said abutment means to: said; first plate, and

; resilient means disposed in said cylinder: means acting against said abutment means and urging said bifurcated means rin a. direction to positionfsaid pin -1n oneiof ts extreme positions in said, elongated 'treme 'positionsin said borein opposition to said N I resilient meansas said plates are rotated from a -co-planarpQsit1on l 3L Afolding door hingec'omprisingi first andsecond' base plate members, Y

bifurcated. means reciprocably.;mounted on said first fmembe'ri'f l' @means for rotatably 'securing' said bifurcated means to I "said hinge pin i. I pendicular ,distan'ce-from,. said second member for secnringithe ends of said hingepin, sleeve means fixed to said first ,member'land havinga f; transversely elongatediaxial bore adapted to receive saidipim'andf} 7: a

I resilient means'ur'ging said {bifurcated means in one directioncto transverselypositionsaid pin intone of itsextreme positions in said transversely elongated bore, said.-.pinbeing movable 'toward' the ,other vof members are; rotated from a', co-planar position. 4 A. hinge for; pivotallyinterconnecting. folding .door

panels comprising: a first plate secured to onefpa'nel and a second plate secured to an adjacent panel, a hinge pin, spaced means adapted to securefth'e ends of said pin a predetermined perpendicular distance from said-second platep asleevei secured to said first "plate and having an elongatedopening adapted to receive a medial portion of said pin; a member reciprocablygrnounted. on said first plate forrmovement'betweenitwo extremepositions, hear ing means rotatably receiving "said pin'and disposed be- -tween each} saidjspaced means, andgsaid' sleeve, means connecting'said bearing meansrtosaid member for move- 1 ment therewith, and resilient 'mea nsurging said m mber I toward one of" its extreirrie'" positions ;-leferenc es by the Examiner UNITED" STATES PATENTS V r 5 09: Miller 11619O 1,498,654 6/24; Hauptnian: v i r 2,162,463 6/39 SChLtnk- 16-190 X 2,987,756 1 6/61 .Hollansworth 16--15'1 3,008,178" 11/6'1 Hofgesang 16 -190 DoN EY' 'J; STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

bore,fsaid .pin being movable to the other-of its eX-Y 

4. A HINGE FOR PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING FOLDING DOOR PANELS COMPRISING: A FIRST PLATE SECURED TO ONE PANEL AND A SECOND PLATE SECURED TO AN ADJACENT PANEL, A HINGE PIN, SPACED MEANS ADAPTED TO SECURE THE ENDS OF SAID PIN A PREDETERMINED PERPENDICULAR DISTANCE FROM SAID SECOND PLATE, A SLEEVE SECURED TO SAID FIRST PLATE AND HAVING AN ELONGATED OPENING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID PIN, A MEMBER RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST PLATE FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN TWO EXTREME POSITIONS, BEARING MEANS ROTATABLY RECEIVING SAID PIN AND DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH SAID SPACED MEANS AND SAID SLEEVE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID BEARING MEANS TO SAID MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, AND RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID MEMBER TOWARD ONE OF ITS EXTREME POSITIONS. 